Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. A car analogy anchors this two-hour Lamrim commentary by Geshe Pema Tsering: just as Tibetans who had never seen a car could not wish for one, practitioners without a clear sense of liberation and enlightenment cannot genuinely strive for them. Working through Atisha’s Lamp on the Path, he argues that renunciation and a felt recognition of saṃsāra’s pervasive suffering are indispensable prerequisites for bodhicitta, not optional detours. He distinguishes liberation (eradicating afflictions and their seeds) from enlightenment (clearing also the habitual imprints that obscure omniscience), traces the progression from aspiring to engaging bodhicitta, and underlines the gravity of the bodhisattva vows and their eighteen root downfalls. The session closes by mapping all paths onto the three trainings of morality, concentration, and wisdom, with a Q&A clarifying the two selves, the distinction between vast and profound paths, and “lineage” as a term for intellectual capacity. Suited to practitioners already following a structured Lamrim curriculum.
File metadata (for organising)
File: 24 2008 07 17 BP.mp3
UUID: 85ccd820-a249-4132-b69f-ce95adcea25d
Teacher: Geshe Pema Tsering
Collection: Lam Rim (Geshe Pema Tsering)
Date: 2008-07-17
Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide
Duration: 123.4 minutes
Words: ~7,076
With the Heart Sūtra. Thus, did I hear one time the Bhagavan was dwelling on Vulture’s Peak mountain in Rajagriha together with a great community of monks and a great community of bodhisattvas. At that time, the Bhagavan was absorbed in the concentration of the categories of phenomena called profound perception. Also at that time, the bodhisattva mahasattva Ārya Avalokiteśvara looked upon the very practice of the profound perfection of wisdom. I and all surrounding sentient beings go for refuge with the Buddha, go for refuge with the Dharma, go for refuge with the Sangha.
We prostrate to the great mother, surrounded by all the children, by the assemblies of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of the ten directions. By depending on my prostrations to all of you, may these words of truth be actualized. In the past, the Indra dispelled the Maras by reflecting on the profound meaning of the gone beyond and reciting the profound words in daily recitation. In that same way, I also reflect on the profound meaning of the great mother Prajñāpāramitā and recite the profound words in daily recitation. May all diseases, possessions, bad conditions, all negative directions, that which happens due to past karma and immediate conditions, may all these be dispelled, may become nonexistent, may be pacified.
So we stop on page fifty, right of the or the English translation. The topic is how the lesser and intermediate branches of the path are necessary when training in the actual mind. And Geshe-la was saying the actual mind here referring to the bodhicitta, the mind of enlightenment. So, again, in order to train in in in mind of enlightenment, Geshe-la was saying, we need as a as a preliminary preliminary practice of preparation or training to train in those paths which are common to to to the beings of small and medium scope. And Geshe-la went through the text.
Again, in order to develop the wish to attain those two benefits, high status and certain goodness, it is necessary to develop the thoughts common to lesser and intermediate beings. I read the wrong the wrong passage, didn’t I? Having thus developed the wish to achieve the two benefits, when you cultivate the beneficial mind, it is necessary to develop the roots of that mind, love and compassion. And Geshe-la went for the rest of the passage then. In this regard, if your body if your body’s hair does not shiver and quiver as you think about the way you yourself wander in cyclic existence, deprived of happiness and oppressed by suffering, there is no way the inability to bear how other sentient beings are deprived of happiness and the prospect of suffering can come about.
So, again, Geshe-la is then pointing out to the fact that, again, in order to be able to develop the mind of enlightenment, to develop that that that that feeling, how to say, that inability to to bear the suffering of of other sentient beings when when they to make it become unbearable, because I was one needs, first of all, one needs to understand how one oneself is destitute of any real happiness, of any lasting happiness, such as liberation and enlightenment. And, again, how oneself is completely overwhelmed by suffering. I think the the the only experience that one has is is suffering. And, again, without understanding this, first of all, then one will not be able to generate that feeling which which, again, which cannot bear the suffering of of of other sentient beings. So again, Geshe-la was saying the same with regards to what he just said.
Again, so then one must one must know what is stable, reliable happiness. One must know what is is the happiness of liberation and enlightenment without without knowing of this lasting happiness of of liberation and enlightenment. And again, one will only be be one will remain involved with the so-called happiness of cyclic existence. And again, Geshe-la is giving an illustration to us, giving us an analogy, so to speak. Yeah.
Geshe-la was saying take a car, for example. I was saying in the past, there were no cars or motor vehicles in in in Tibet. So people did not know of the existence of cars or existence or nonexistence of cars, so they didn’t think about, you know, I I must I must have a car. I need a car. The thought didn’t occur because they just didn’t know about it.
And when cars first arrived in in Tibet, they were all confused about it. They didn’t even know what it was. So without knowing that of the existence of cars and the function and so forth, again, they couldn’t even develop the wish to obtain a car in the first place. So, again, in in order to develop the the wish or to to obtain a car, one must, first of all, know of the existence of a car. Of a car that can, you know, walk faster than oneself and arrive at places much quicker than one would do or could do otherwise.
And then again, by knowing by by the force of this this knowledge, then one will will think start thinking, oh, I must get one of those. And then with that thought in mind, and again, one will strive, one will engage in in activities in or in in ways to obtain one. Again, in the same fashion, Geshe-la was saying we need to know we need to know the existence of liberation and enlightenment in order to be able to to strive for it. Again, Geshe-la was saying, what is what is liberation? Again, liberation, Geshe-la, as I say, is as a constitutes of of the cessation, the cessation of the afflictions, what’s called true cessation.
So when one has then accomplished the cessation of every affliction, then, again, one has attained this the true cessation. One has attained what is called nirvana. One has, how to say, passed beyond sorrow, passed beyond suffering. So then Geshe-la is saying, again, when when we’re talking about the cessation of of the afflictions, we’re not talking about a a temporary cessation. We must eradicate them completely completely uproot the afflictions.
And Geshe-la was saying the same. So we need to get rid of the afflictions, and and so then they stop being manifest. But not only of the manifest aspect of the afflictions, must get rid also of the of of this what’s a seed? What’s the other way to translate? Potency.
Potency. Potency. Potency. Potency. Again and Geshe-la was saying there are there are the making distinction between the imprints or the habitual imprints and those seeds.
And, again, so what we must what what what we are getting rid of here, again, is the manifest afflictions and their their seeds, those those pot potencies, which, again, which if I was explaining, which means that even though affliction might not be manifest at present, if one has not rid oneself of the seeds of those potencies again in the future, they they they have the capability or the capacity to arise again. So one must get rid of those seeds. And then Geshe-la was explaining. So, again, having having rid myself of the manifest afflictions and those seeds, still, one will so the the afflictions will not arise in the future, but it’s still at present when you still have another kind or another aspect of how can I say that? Another aspect of habitual imprint.
So, again, Geshe-la is explaining. So we have liberation and enlightenment. So when we have rid ourselves of of the afflictive emotion conceptions and their seeds, again, we have attained this cessation. Again, we have attained liberation in this way. And when we have rid ourselves of even those habitual imprints, which I guess I was referring to them as the obscurations to knowledge, obscurations to omniscience, then, again, we have we have attained we have the attainment of enlightenment.
And so then, again, Geshe-la was explaining, so then liberation and enlightenment are both Geshe-la was explaining they can be both explained in terms of being true cessation. They’re both true cessation. And when one has attained a true cessation, Geshe-la was saying, when a true cessation is within one’s mental continuum, then that being then starts developing all the various qualities of the grounds and the paths. And that being, if I wasn’t saying, somebody who has attained the true cessation, again, if someone is saying that being is a foe destroyer, an arhat, a foe destroyer. And then there then there’s all what is there is all the qualities of the grounds and path to be attained.
So again we have liberation which is the eradication of the afflictive emotions and conceptions. And enlightenment which is then the eradication of even the imprints of those. And again, so we have we have we have then we have then to learn about liberation and enlightenment. We have to know what liberation and enlightenment are so that we can develop so that the the the thought can arise that I must attain liberation and enlightenment. And and both of them are referred to as ultimate happiness.
They are real happiness. They are ultimate happiness. Then having developed that thought that wishes to attain liberation and enlightenment, then one will start inquiring: how then can I attain it? And then again, so and then one starts having developing the wish to attain liberation and enlightenment, then one will start seeing everything that one used to hold on or or grasp as being happiness, all the so called happiness of cyclic existence, happiness of saṃsāra, the happiness of humans and gods. When we start seeing all that as actually being suffering, and then one would develop a mind that dislikes that and all that because one has then developed the wish to attain liberation and enlightenment.
So and and so then one I guess I wasn’t saying one must then contemplate all the shortcomings and the faults of of the so called happiness of cyclic existence. And then one develops one’s dislike, dis disillusionment. So again, Geshe-la was the same one has to contemplate that all these so called happinesses of saṃsāra of cyclic existence, they are not really they’re not real happiness. They are all in the nature of suffering, then one has to contemplate a lot. One has to engage a lot in a lot of studies and contemplation on on all the faults and shortcomings of cyclic existence.
Then one will develop the wish to be free from that, and then the wish inside to attain liberation and enlightenment. And Geshe-la was saying when one has contemplated that seriously time and again, studied that seriously. And, again, one have developed this uncontrived disillusionment with with cyclic existence and this uncontrived wish to attain liberation and enlightenment instead, one has then developed renunciation. So, again, Geshe-la Ney points out that in order to develop renunciation, we must contemplate the sufferings of cyclic existence. Saying, and so we can see there and then how very difficult it is to develop such amount of renunciation.
We as for ourselves, Geshe-la was saying, amongst ourselves, very rare are those who who do not think of of of obtaining money, wealth, or cars, and all sorts of of goods pertaining to this life or to cyclic existence. And instead, think like I must attain liberation, I must attain enlightenment. So very very extremely rare are those who actually think that way. So Geshe-la is saying again that because because we remain we are living our lives still holding on to the the so called happiness of cyclic existence, the goods and and all these excellent so called excellent things of cyclic existence. Then, again, because of that, we cannot develop we we fail to see the shortcomings of cyclic existence.
We fail to develop this this disillusionment, and and and then we fail then to develop a genuine wish to attain liberation. And we we fail then to develop renunciation. And without renunciation, we do not have the cause of liberation. Is that is that making sense? That clear?
And then, again, Geshe-la was saying without having the wish to attain liberation for oneself to have what one without contemplating the sufferings and so forth and having that renunciation. Again, the the the idea of establishing all other sentient beings in liberation. How can I say that? It becomes nothing but lip service. Is that okay?
And to that, to what Geshe-la just said, again, we read the verse on the Bodhisattva way of life, which is basically just what what Geshe has just said. In in beings to whom previously such a thought, even for their own sake, Geshe-la wasn’t explaining this, thought of of liberation for for their own sake, did not even appear in their dreams. How could it arise for the sake of others? So how could it arise for this the thought of liberation for others could arise? And Geshe-la was going through the rest of the text, again, for the reason having thought about how in context in the context of of lesser beings, of beings of of lesser scope, the harm of the sufferings of bad migrations falls upon you, and how in the context of intermediate beings, even even in the realm of high status, there is suffering and no peace or happiness.
Meditating in accord with with one’s own experience on the sentient beings who have become dear to you becomes the causes for love for loving kindness and compassion to arise. So and then Geshe-la was reading for the rest of the text as the mind of enlightenment is born from them, training and the thoughts shared with lesser intermediate beings is the means of generating an uncontrived mind of enlightenment. Geshe-la was explaining. So if without the mind without renunciation, one cannot develop loving kindness and compassion. And without loving kindness and compassion, then one cannot develop bodhicitta.
And, again, one cannot attain enlightenment this way. And, again, this shows the need then to train in those paths which are common to lesser and intermediate beings. Geshe-la was reading the next topic, how the lesser and intermediate branches of the path are also necessary for the ritual accumulation and purification of this mental attitude. And, again, the mental attitude here, it’s like it says makes reference to bodhicitta. And, again, how those rituals are necessary in order to purify negativities and accumulate merit was then reading reading through the text, which is pretty clear.
Again, the text goes efforts to purify negativities and accumulate merit by means by by many means through the thoughts of going for refuge, contemplating actions and the results and so forth on the occasion of the two paths also constitute methods for training the mental continuum, preliminary practice for the generation of the mind of enlightenment. As they become part of the seven limb the seven-limb prayer, along with going for refuge, these thoughts common common to lesser and intermediate beings should also be understood as methods for the generation of the mind of enlightenment. This one. Okay. And the next topic, again, is is the instruction to cherish the way that the teaching cycles of beings of lesser and intermediate scope become branches of the practice, of the path of beings of greater scope.
And Geshe-la was saying that that is is to say that we are being instructed to cherish those those trainings and to regard those trainings as being branches or preliminaries to to our training in in bodhicitta, in the in the path of greater vehicle. And because they are actually the causes of of the development of bodhicitta. Because the the practice of those contemplation of those paths, then they lead eventually to the the result they can lead to the result of make it possible for the contemplation of of bodhicitta. Oh, That is why. And Geshe-la was reading through the through the text again.
Here, the spiritual master should indicate how the teaching cycles of lesser and intermediate beings become branches for the arising of the mind of enlightenment. And the disciple should also gain certainty in this regard. And Geshe-la was in stopping there and saying again, must then apply ourselves strongly to study and contemplating this topic, you know, so that otherwise it’s not easy to to understand to grasp. Through recalling these points with each practice, you should thoroughly cherish this training. If this is not done, the path of great beings and individual paths and individual paths or or or or or the the the those paths taking in isolation, again, will become unconnected, will will not be clearly related the to the path of the great being or the path of the Mahāyāna.
As you do not gain certainty with regards to the mind of enlightenment until you reach the actual path of of great beings, of the beings of greater scope, this would be an obstacle to the arise of that mind or, meanwhile, the the degeneration of of that great objective. Therefore, you should exert yourself in it. You should apply yourself strongly in it. As I was saying, it’s a very important point. It’s a very important thing to understand.
And guess I was saying? And this is this is a a very serious teaching, and there’s a very we ourselves, we incur a great danger here because, I guess, I was gonna say, it it often occurs to us that when when reflecting about these these three different paths, again, that we think of the high rebirth as humans and gods, all these rebirths within cyclic existence, they are all pervaded with with suffering. They’re all with with they have all have faults and shortcomings in themselves, so they’re all imperfect. And we think, again, the liberation itself, there is still faults to it. It’s not complete with all good qualities, and there is still fault to it.
Only enlightenment has all has read is is a state which is read of every single fault and endowed with every good quality. And we think if that is the case, then I do not need in order to attain enlightenment, all I need is bodhicitta and and emptiness, and I don’t need to train anything else. Because I was saying this that there’s the danger because we do think like that. And in case I was I forgot to mention briefly, because I was again making the the connection, again, in order to develop bodhicitta, one needs compassion and loving kindness and renunciation and all that. But in case I was giving again another analogy.
Saying so take for example say for example there are three three cars. One which is very expensive, the other one which is of, you know, a middle range price, and the other one which is cheap. And we think to ourselves oh I need I need that very expensive car there. But if we ourselves do not have enough money to buy either the cheap car or the the middle range car, the one that is in the middle of the range, again, we will not have the money to buy. That means we cannot afford to buy also the the very expensive car.
So we need before we can afford to buy the expensive car, we need to accumulate the amount of money which is necessary to buy the cheap car and the and the and the middle range car. And, again, so again, in order in same vein, in order to attain enlightenment, we also need to accomplish the causes that lead to liberation. We also to accomplish the causes that lead to higher rebirth as humans and gods. Without those causes, again, we cannot accomplish enlightenment. Without having accomplished those causes, we cannot we also cannot accomplish enlightenment.
So, again, we Geshe moves on to the next topic, the order of the path. First of all for the first topic of that is the order of the two minds, etcetera, and how to train in them. And, again, Geshe-la was making reference to the relative and ultimate bodhicitta and so forth. And Geshe-la was reading from the text the first sentence. Having trained in this manner, you should make the uncontrived mind of enlightenment arise in your mental continuum as much as possible.
And Geshe-la went on to the text again. Then in order to make it stable, to make that mind stable, again, first go for uncommon refuge and then perform the ritual of the aspiring of enlightenment. And Geshe-la was explaining that uncommon refuge is the Mahāyāna refuge. It’s the Mahāyāna way of taking refuge, where, again, the object of refuge is still the the Three Jewels. But then, again, one takes refuge for the sake of the enlightenment of all sentient beings.
One one goes for refuge together with all sentient beings so that all sentient beings may may also be established in the path of enlightenment and be free from low rebirths or the suffering of low rebirths. And and so, again, one one takes refuge with all sentient beings, with all sentient beings in mind and for the sake of all sentient beings. And this is the Mahāyāna refuge. If one takes refuge only for oneself, then that’s the the lower vehicle, the lesser vehicle type of refuge. And then, again, having and Geshe was explaining what is this that aspiring mind of enlightenment.
And and Geshe-la was saying the the aspiring mind of enlightenment is is, again, that prayer that we make, the prayer of refuge that we have in the beginning of the teachings. Again, where is the hearer is it. I go for what is it in English? I go for refuge until I am I’m enlightened to the Buddha, Dharma, and the supreme assembly. And by my practice of of giving in the other perfections, again, may I become a Buddha to benefit all sentient beings.
The very first prayer that we make of refuge in bodhicitta, the prayer that contains the aspiring mind of enlightenment. Then again, so again, then having taken the aspiring mind of enlightenment by means of the ritual, again practices trainings. And again, then the trainings come again. Then the time and again develop the wish to train in the trainings, the six perfection, the four ways of gathering disciples, and so forth. Again, four way of four ways of gathering disciples is, again, being generous, speaking pleasantly or or, how to say, pleasant words.
Again, speaking only what is meaningful and acting according according to one’s to what one how can I say that? Practicing what one preaches. I think that’s that’s the best translation. Again, once the wish to train in them has come forth from the bottom of your heart, take the pure vow of engaging mind of enlightenment. And again, having having having reflected, having contemplated, having cultivated the spirit the spiritual mind of enlightenment again and again, again, eventually, one develops the wish to to develop when when it starts to engage in the what is so called engaging bodhicitta, engaging mind of enlightenment, which which then refers to taking the bodhisattva vows and so forth.
And Geshe-la was saying again, so then these vows of of the engaging bodhicitta, again, if one having taken those vows, if one how to say, contradicts them in any way and and and and and and creates a downfall, again, there is a great fall to it. And Geshe-la explained so then at the time of the aspiration of bodhicitta, when one is doing that prayer of the aspiration bodhicitta, there is no fault with it because there are no vows to be broken, so there’s no fault with it. But once one has then engaged or or gone through take taken the vows of the engaging bodhicitta, and, again, if one contradicts those vows that one has all the downfall, the eighteen root downfalls and the forty six secondary downfalls to it. So then there are there is a great fault to it. And then, I guess I move on moves on to the next topic, the order of the explanations.
Then even at the risk even risk your life in order not to be tainted by a root downfall. So, again, having taken the vows of the engaged bodhicitta, one has to guard them even at the cost of one’s life. That’s what we have been instructed to do, we are told. Strive not to be tainted by either small or medium contaminations and by infractions, again, by by afflictions, afflictive emotion and conceptions. However, if you get tainted, purify them well by means of what has been expounded with regard to restoring the vows.
And then train in the general in general in the six perfections and especially in in concentration, the essence of calm abiding, in order to make the mind serviceable with respect to whatever virtuous object you wish. And this one. This one. Again, the statement in the lamp illuminating the path that you train in calm abiding in order to develop this super knowledges is only an illustration we are told. Atisha himself has stated on other occasions that it also serves to develop special insight.
So again, therefore, you should develop calm abiding for that purpose too, for the purpose of special insight. And Geshe-la was explaining again this is the main purpose of calm abiding so that we can develop special insights on top of that. Then in order to cut the bonds of grasping at the two selves, decide on the meaning of emptiness by means of the view. Through sustaining this mode of meditation flawlessly, accomplish the entity of wisdom, which is special insight. Okay.
And again, so again, as I was explaining pointing out that this part of the teaching is making reference to our contemplation of emptiness, our realization of emptiness. And, again, how the two selves what was translated as the two selves grasping at the two, again, is has to do with grasping the two here makes reference to true existence and to conventional reality or relative reality and again one has to realize the importance of of both, the importance of one and the interdependence of the other. And and Geshe-la says, again, then having realized having realized emptiness by the by by the accomplishment of the union of calm abiding and special insight, the minds of calm abiding and special insight, having having accomplished that union of calm abiding and special insight and realize emptiness. Geshe-la was saying, one reaches that point then it is not long before one attains liberation.
Then the liberation is really not the is easier than to attain from there on. So, again, Geshe-la moves on to the next topic. All paths are contained in the three trainings. And, again, Geshe-la was pointing out to us that through through what we have been through today, again, we have seen all the stages of the path from renunciation to love and kindness, compassion, the mind of enlightenment, and emptiness finally. So we have seen all the stages of the path, and we are told that all the paths are contained in the three in the three trainings.
So all of these are contained in the three trainings of morality, concentration, and wisdom. Again, accordingly, except for the accomplishment of calm abiding and special insight, up to and including the training in the vow of engaging mind of enlightenment constitutes the training in ethical discipline. Calm abiding is the training in the mind of concentration and special insight is training in wisdom. So it says in the commentary on the lamp on the path. Again, Geshe-la just says again, calm abiding is a training in the mind and the mind stands up stands for concentration, for meditation, and special insight is a training in wisdom.
Do And again, we approach the next the next topic which is for the sake of skill, developing skill and classification, all paths are contained in these two collections, the collection of merit and the collection of wisdom. And, again, Geshe-la goes through the text. Furthermore, up to and including calm abiding is the method, which is the collection of merit, the path based which is the path based on conventional truth, and the status of the vast, the so-called vast path, as opposed to the profound path? As opposed to the profound path, which is referring to wisdom. While, again, going through the text, while the generation of the three special wisdoms pertains to the collection of wisdom, to the paths based on ultimate truths, and the stages of the profound path, as opposed to the vast. Again, this is pertaining to the profound path.
Therefore, it should generate great certainty with respect to their order and set number, as well as the fact that enlightenment cannot be attained by means of method and wisdom that are separate from one another. Again, the the next topic, eleven, again, the need to enter the Mahāyāna. Having trained your mental continuum, thus, by means of the common paths, you must enter the Mantrayāna. For once you have entered it, you will quickly complete the two collections. So again, Geshe-la is explaining what is the common paths.
So Geshe-la is explaining in in the context of the the paths that pertain to the paramita vehicle, the paramita yana or the or the mahayana path. Again those paths, those trainings or those things which are common are those that pertain to the beings of small and middling scope of practice. In that in that context of of the Pāramitāyāna, those are said to be common, and the uncommon practices, the special practices, are those that pertain exclusively to the Mahāyāna. Then in the context of the Mantrayāna of Tantra, those paths which are common are the paths that pertain to the Pāramitāyāna. All the paths that pertain to the Pāramitāyāna.
And those paths which are uncommon, which are special or exclusive to the mantra vehicle are the tantric practices, which are basically the generation stage and the completion stage of the mantra vehicle. And then how to pursue the perfection path alone? If you cannot manage more than that, more than the perfection path, or due to the small power of your lineage, you do not want to, you should just expand on these various stages on the path more and more on the stages of the path on the teachings, because you will be enriching the text more and more. And just I wasn’t going through the the text again, the status of engagement in mantra on in tantra. Again, as for engaging in mantra, since proper reliance on a spiritual teacher is generally given great emphasis in all the vehicles and particularly in mantra, you should make it even more preeminent in this context than before.
Then having ripened your mental continuum by means of an empowerment that comes from a pure tantra class, you should risk your life for you should you should risk your life for, that is, guard the commitments and vows that you obtained at that time, or you should guard those commitments even against your life. Especially if a root downfall occurs, even though you you take them again, this will spoil your mind, mind, and it will be difficult for positive qualities to develop. Therefore, do not be tainted by them. Do not get tainted even by branch by a branch downfall. And if you do get tainted, you should not be unconcerned about it, but purify it through confession and restrain immediately.
Then you should be guided as appropriate in the yoga with signs in accordance with the lower tantra classes of the four tantra classes that there are, two lower tantras, and in the yoga of the three lower ones and then in the yoga of the generation stage in accordance with the higher tantras. On that basis you should train as appropriate in the yoga without signs in accordance with the lower tantra class or in the yoga of the completion stage according to the higher Tantras. And Geshe-la just said at the end of of this, this is a very difficult topic. And Geshe-la said, it’s not gonna be easy to to to understand. And then we read the last of those passages, the body of the presentation that the intention of the Lamp on the Path to Enlightenment and all the is the engagement in both sūtra and tantra vehicles.
The body of the presentation of the of the path is set forth in the Lamp on the Path, and also guides students in the same way. And Geshe-la wants to stop here today, and I guess this is right on time, I guess. Just about. Yeah. Yeah.
Oh, yeah. Seventeen. That’s why I did it. Do you have any questions, Geshe-la is asking? Yeah?
On page fifty one, where it’s talking about the the order of the path, the second section, the order of explanation Yes. Where it’s talking about the grasping of the two selves. Yes. Now I can understand very fully that the grasping of the con conventional self, but my just get that. Is Three, six.
Yes. The the the understanding of emptiness. Lesson. How how do you grasp at the ultimate self through the understanding of emptiness? Well, I can’t understand a notion of grasping at an ultimate self.
I I only understand grasping at the conventional self. I do that very well. And and maybe this was just a fault my my interpretation my previous interpretation. Geshe was explaining this. This to cut the bonds of grasping at the two selves, la wasn’t saying there is a within the realization of emptiness, there is a how to say?
How can I say that? Maybe a stage in the realization of emptiness where dualistic appearances still happen. And there is a further development of one’s realization where dualistic appearances no longer happen, so to speak. Saying all all the text is saying is that we should develop our realization of emptiness to to to that deeper level, the deeper point where where the dualistic appearance does not happen anymore. So and so this those dualistic appearances or those maybe those dualistic appearances, is that the best way to translate or the two appearances?
Dualistic appearance. There is there is two ways. There are two ways two ways to explain that. So one is saying these two appearances are the appearance of true existence and the conventional of conventional reality. Right?
Conventional reality. Right? And then there’s an easier way to to understand that, which is then to understand the appearance of the self of the person and the self of phenomena. That that does help, doesn’t it? Mhmm.
Phenomena is a good one. Self of the person and the self of phenomena. Those. Emptiness of self with the person and emptiness of the self of phenomena. So then we are aiming at realizing the the so called selflessness of the person or the no self of the person or the lack of self of the person, and the lack of self of that of everything else which is not the person, which is every other phenomenon.
And that’s what we are aiming at realizing. The two selves. To cut the bonds of grasping at the two selves, the grasping at the self of the person. So you realize the emptiness in order to cut Mhmm. This grasping.
Grasping. Is that okay? I think so. Yep. The the vast part and the.
Yeah. Further, you know, consolidation of what they mean? Yeah. Geshe-la, what is the word for that? So then those those paths which are referred to as the deep or the profound, they are they are concerned or they pertain to the trainings in wisdom or the meditations and teachings and teachings and teachings and teachings in wisdom or emptiness, mind that realizes emptiness.
And those paths which are referred to as the vast paths or the vast the path of the vast again pertain to method, pertain to all those minds which are not the realization of of emptiness, which are, you know, renunciation, compassion, the mind of enlightenment, so forth. Is that okay? So again, and then And, again, Geshe-la is explaining. So again, because the realization of emptiness is something in itself which is very profound. It is referred to as as such as profound.
And again, because bodhicitta, something like bodhicitta over compassion, they which pertain to all the extensive method are vast. Again, they refer to us as such, as vast. So every practice or every meditation, every path or teaching pertains to wisdom, to realization of emptiness, are is going to be referred to as the the path of the profound or or the profound path and so forth. And otherwise, everything which is not so, which is compassion and so forth, which pertain to method, pertain to the to those practices of the vast the vast practices. So.
There’s also so. Okay. Yep. Is that okay? Yeah.
You want to ask something? Which is a full destroyer or destroyer of the enemy, somebody who has destroyed the enemy, but not only, you know, expel enemy destroyed in a sense that completely eradicated the enemy and that the enemy does never come back. And the enemy here, the foe, which has been destroyed which have been destroyed is are the afflictive emotions and their and their seeds, their potencies. So somebody who has rid their continuum of the afflictive emotions and their seeds, which harm us, again, to someone who has destroyed the foe, a foe destroyer. Is that okay?
What’s the word for mana again? Do do. How can I spell that? So in the we have the so called Maras and in in Buddhism, afflictive emotions and conceptions are referred as but also there are beings, certain beings, which are also referred as referred to as and they are sentient beings also. They are sentient beings.
Yeah. So they have a Buddha nature. So, yes, they can attain enlightenment eventually. Is that okay? You want to yes?
Yes? That bit on the the stages of engagement in mantra that was tend to be a very difficult topic. Will we are we going to study that at some stage, or we’re just gonna there we go. You do mantra already, do you? So, I guess, I didn’t say, the text itself does not expand much on on this topic.
And then I asked, oh, I but but is the Geshe going to teach more? I asked him. And Geshe said, well, Geshe doesn’t know much. Of the little that he knows, he he will he will explain, but he doesn’t know much he says. And, again, again, without renunciation, and the mind of enlightenment, and, again, without a solid understanding of those, we will not gain any benefit.
We do not benefit by Yes. A minute. So, again, we do not have Geshe-la says, we we do not have bodhicitta. We do not have an understanding of the mind of enlightenment. So, again, we do not have the minimum necessary how can I say with the minimum necessary, we do not have the the minimum requirements?
And on top of that, Geshe-la says, from his own personal experience, he doesn’t have much knowledge about it. Maybe later, will be more more on the text about it, but at this stage, you know, it’s too soon. Yeah. Fifty two. Maybe it’s something like a.
The the very top here? Yeah. It’s small. Small power of the lineage. Oh, It’s oh, it’s before that.
It’s the twelve. Number thirteen. Twelve. So lineage, Jampa Gendun was asking about this this word And Geshe-la was explaining the small power of your lineage. Small power of lineage.
And Geshe-la was explaining that word that was translated as lineage to be referring to one’s mind, to one’s intellectual capacities maybe or capacities of understanding. So again a small intellectual capacities maybe or a small capacity to understand. So those who have greater lineage are those who, you know, people who they listen to the teachings or read the teachings they immediately understand and grasp the teachings and those with capacity or small lineage and so forth, again, are those who have difficulty grasping. They have to listen and study the teachings for a long time, many times, and and before they can they’re able to grasp and understand the teachings or retain the teachings. Is that okay?
Would Geshe-la said he said liberation and omniscience were true cessation. And I was questioning whether omniscience was the true cessation. And so he said there’s two parts to it. One is that the abandonment of the two obscurations. One one factor is abandonment of two obscurations and the other is omniscience.
So anyway, it’s just a technicality. Training in the path of the great scope, you have to train this. The doctor. This mind that strives for individual liberation. Why don’t you fall why I was just questioning whether the mind which seeks which strives for individual liberation, it is not necessary that it precede the generation. It’s also an obstacle to the generation of.
The mind How the for the it the the the the mind of the the the mind which seeks it, strives for individual liberation does not benefit the generation of I was just pointing out to the with regards to Jampa’s question, because I was just pointing us back to the analogy of the three cars. Again, you need it’s not that you buy. So you need to have the amount of money that can buy the the cheap car and the average car in order to be able to buy the expensive car. It’s not but it’s not to say that you have to buy the cheap car. Is that okay?
Then this one. Just just one thing. Yeah. Okay.